Are you paying a hefty price to buy vitamin-rich dragon fruits? You can now grow them on your terrace and reap your own harvest.
Scientists from the Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR) have come out with economic models and package of practices for growing this plant on the rooftop.
While this effort has been going on for over a year, the enthusiasm of people reached a peak on Wednesday with nearly 2,000 dragon fruit plants being sold within hours of the inauguration of the three-day national horticultural fair being held at IIHR’s Hessarghatta campus off Bengaluru.
According to IIHR scientists, Karnataka, especially Bengaluru, is fast emerging as the country’s capital for dragon fruits as the Institute makes concentrated efforts to promote this crop in dry zones of the State.
Dr. Karunakaran, head of IIHR’s Tumakuru-based Central Horticultural Experimental Station (CHES), who has developed different models for cultivation of dragon fruit both on rooftops and in fields, says these models are not just economical, but could be sourced from the materials available locally.
It may cost around ₹500 for putting up a supporting structure for growing this plant on a terrace, as he has innovatively made use of waste products, such as discarded tyres, PVC pipe, a pot and a few iron rods. For cultivation in fields, he has developed a stone structure model.
Already, the fruit is being cultivated on nearly 500 acres in Karnataka, he says, while pointing out that about 450 plants can be grown in an acre.
On a roof-top garden, it is possible to get a yield in about 15 months after planting, he says. While the first year would yield 6 fruits, the second year would see 12-15 fruits, Dr. Karunakaran says. Each fruit weighs 400 to 600 gms while a kg would cost around ₹300 in the market.
The IIHR has been promoting dragon fruit, avocado (butter fruit) and jack fruit as ‘smart fruits’ owing to their health benefits. “These fruits were earlier billed as either minor or underutilised ones. However, people are now focussing on them due to their nutrient content, especially anti-oxidant properties,” he says.
But he cautions farmers that they have to arrange for marketing these fruits before growing them on a large scale. The State has nearly two lakh avocado plants, the scientist says. According to him, this particular plant has high plant-based fat useful for human beings.
